3 for 1

3 runs, 3 states, 4 days, 1 post

Beautiful, crisp, sunny, windy weather greeted me on Thursday when, avoiding doing work, I decided to move my long run up a day. I did a basic map of the route but mapping around the Charles is so difficult because it's hard to see where the trails go! I was wishing for my Garmin, then, as pernicious a piece of equipment as it often is. Instead, I went on the rough map and on time. My legs are still feeling the marathon, I think. Past about 1:15 and they go a bit dead, as if they are saying "What in the heck do you think you are doing with us?!" Still, kept a pretty good pace for at least the first part.

When running in windy, chilly but not cold, weather, I quickly encounter a problem. After all 3 runs, my skin - especially on the nape of my neck, my ears, and everywhere that is solely covered by my long-sleeve tech shirt (it's got those tiny little holes in it, which is important for this story)is red and itches horribly! The only way I can get it to stop itching, and me from rubbing my skin to pieces, is to take a shower and slather on lotion. And that still doesn't help it a lot! I know it's because I'm getting wind-burnt but what should I do?

I guess one possibility is to just outwait the weather. After all, it will soon be so cold that I will always be wearing a jacket and the problem will stop on its own......

Friday, due to the work I skipped on Thursday running and due to travel arrangements, I didn't run. I made pies, instead. Hey, if you can't run, you might as well eat!

Saturday morning, before cooking up onion mushroom soup, roasted brussels sprouts and biscuits as my contribution to early Thanksgiving, I drove to downtown Baltimore to go on one of my old standards.

"You really should go the other way around the Charles Street-Lake Avenue-Roland Avenue loop!" I scolded myself for about the 15th time.

It's true: it's much easier the way I do it. I am going downhill most of the way, going counter-clockwise. But I like going counter-clockwise: it's part of one of my weird quirks. Plus, don't you want to be facing traffic, for all those early-morning maniacs? Justifications!

Down University, looking at all the huge homes and back over to Charles Street, I buzz down to just before Baltimore Street. My watch said that I had done enough in that direction, so no early Saturday strip teases for me. Ah, the humanity! I turned down to St. Paul's and took it back up to University, where I cut back over to Charles Street and (no other way to express it) trundled back to my car.

Baltimore has only 500 feet net elevation gain. But the hills can be wicked. And going downtown first means that you are going almost completely uphill on the way back. Add in my still-tired legs (see previous run) and the large amounts of cheese I had already consumed (being the only food that I can eat at my parents' house) and I started to be pretty unhappy around mile 10. Trundling was all I was good for!

After more cheese and some excitement with a swat team pursuing a robbery suspect, I was back on the train to NY, working away and waiting to meet Ivy League for some recovery running.

Well, I would be recovery running. Ivy League wanted to do intervals. Too much cheese and intervals might equal puke. I had puked enough the week before. Best to be on the safe side!

Met him at GAP, where I persuaded him to run back down Eastern Parkway. Another (mainly) solitary run, as his intervals took him down the street much faster than I was willing (or able) to go. Found the end to Lincoln Place and started running back up. Each light made me further and further distant from Ivy League, as I seemed to get stuck at almost all of them. Frustrating!

Then I passed my house. But I kept going. That was hard. But I knew that Ivy League was going to be waiting for me. I averted my eyes.

Ran down to GAP and went around a different part to finish up the run. After I left Ivy League I (again) trundled home. About 9 difficult miles for me.

"I have no idea how you kept that pace during the entire marathon!" Ivy League exclaimed near the end, when he came back into sight. "I mean, I wasn't going much faster than a 7 minute pace and those were tiring!"

Right now, I have no idea how I held that pace, either.

While yesterday might not have been the day to push it, I need to visualize speed work in my future if I am going to have a decent time in Birmingham. Plus, find some more hills. Birmingham is on the side of a mountain, after all!